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ACL Injury

ACL injury, what now? The importance of prehabilitation prior to ACL surgery

Unfortunately, if you have torn your ACL, and are undergoing surgical reconstruction, to return to full function and performance a 9–12-month recovery period is required. Although, this sounds like an extended period, it is necessary to allow for adequate healing as well as to significantly lower your risk of re-injury upon returning to sport. Everyone […]

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Patellofemoral pain (PFP)

Patellofemoral pain (PFP)

Definition Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a condition that is characterised by pain or discomfort that occurs around or beneath the patella (kneecap) (1). PFP most commonly presents in teenage years or in young adulthood but can occur in the population at any age (2). Presentation Symptoms are usually associated with one or more of the […]

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Women’s World Cup, ACL injuries and Physiotherapy Strategies

Every four years, the Women’s world cup takes centre stage, capturing the essence of football: the unwavering determination of athletes, the artistry of a well-timed pass, the precision of goal scoring, and the camaraderie’s of teamwork. However, amid the flashing lights of the global event lies a growing concern – the prevalence of Anterior Cruciate […]

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Ankle Sprain: Understanding, Preventing and treating common injuries.

With the arrival of warmer weather, we are seeing our clients embracing the great outdoors, eagerly participating in a variety of activities including park runs, local running events and recreational sports. However, with these activities, and at times, lack of preparation, comes the risk of ankle sprains, one of the most prevalent, foot and ankle […]

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Running after ACL surgery

A common question we hear at the beginning of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) rehab is “how long until I can run again?” To answer that we need to dive into it a bit further. It is usually well understood that return to play in sport can take anywhere up to 9 months – 12 + […]

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Activity for Beginners

A lot of people tell me they feel they want to be more active but do not know where to start. A good target for activity levels that I give to everyone is 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week or 150 minutes of “easy” exercise a week. This is in line with the Chief […]

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Adductor Strains

This muscle group on your inner thigh or groin area is the second most injured muscle group after the hamstrings and is a common injury among athletes. Regardless of athletic ability, anyone can pull their groin although there are a few risk factors that make some more vulnerable to this type of injury. It can […]

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How stress is affecting your pain

Did you know that stress can amplify your pain or prevent it from getting better? Stress is part of our fight-or-flight response and can help us switch into survival mode whether it be during an emergency or a brutal board room meeting. During this process, a hormone called Cortisol is released which is very helpful […]

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The relationship between inactivity and the severity of covid-19 symptoms

An area from the 90’s that is receiving much attention from researchers is Exercise Immunology. Thanks to this branch of science, we all know the importance of exercise for our health and to prevent certain comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease. Exercise not only has direct/acute impact in our immunity as well as chronic effects. The […]

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Calf Muscle Tear

The calf is composed of three different muscles, the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris. These muscles go from the back of knee to the ankle where they merge into one single tendon, the Achilles’ tendon which inserts behind the heel. Calf strains or tears are the most common calf injuries, and they can be a result […]

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Pulled Hamstring

Your Hamstrings are the large muscles located at the back of your thigh. They start at your sitting bones and end below the back of your knee. A strained Hamstring is one of the most common injuries in sports which involve sprinting such as football or rugby. It usually occurs when the knee is extended […]

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back pain

Answers to your back pain questions

What is the most common cause of back pain? Mechanical pain is the most common type of back pain. This general term refers to any type of back pain caused by placing abnormal stress and strain on joints, bones or soft tissues in and around the spine. Typically, mechanical pain results from bad habits, such as poor posture, poorly-designed seating, […]

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Benefits of natural light

There has been a lot of focus recently on improving the work environment for employees with offices boasting interactive spaces with standing desks, Pilates classes and even beer on tap. But improving your mental wellbeing at work may be even more straightforward than that. Which is good news to those now working from home. New […]

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massage ball

How to use a massage ball

Like a foam roller, a massage ball can also be used to help release tension in our achy muscles after long hours spent in the office or after a workout. One of the differences being that it can get to those hard to reach areas such as the upper back, buttocks and feet. “Knots” or […]

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Exercising in a lockdown

Exercising in a lockdown

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it” — Plato (427–347 BC) In the wake of lockdown recommendations and the precautions, we must take to control the spread of COVID-19 you may be wondering why the government is allowing daily exercise outdoors […]

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Frozen shoulder

Frozen Shoulder 

Although frozen shoulder is fairly common, ongoing research keeps challenging and expanding on what we know about this painful and debilitating condition. The name was started in 1934 by Codman who described the disorder as “difficult to define, difficult to treat and difficult to explain” which in many ways, is still true today. Some of […]

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Bournemouth Marathon and training plan

My journey to Bournemouth marathon and the training plan

In March this year, I was very busy training for the London marathon, my first marathon. When training I saw an ad for the Bournemouth marathon, and I was crazy enough to sign up for it. As I’m writing this, I’m 1 week away from it. This year I have done more running than ever. […]

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Marathon runners

How to recover after a marathon or a sport event – a physio’s inside tips

Congratulation and well done, you’ve completed a marathon (or other amazing sporting event)! No matter how you did, it’s an amazing achievement. First of all, enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and let it all sink in. It’s absolutely fine to brag. As your mind recovers and enjoys the feeling, your body will need to recover […]

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Thoracic Ring Approach – the missing link when assessing the whole body

Physiotherapists love movement, and we love seeing our patient coming away moving smoother and happier. It’s not just about getting rid of pain. It’s about the whole body working as one. Therefore, having pain, restriction or heaviness in 1 area can be caused by a separate part of the body. One of these areas can […]

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All you need to know about running a marathon from physiotherapist Rebecca Nygren

Marathon training is an amazing journey. With good days, with bad days. With early mornings starts to days with wind and rain where you’d rather curl up in bed. But nothing beats the experience and the satisfying feeling you get after you’ve run. You may be at the start of your journey, or you may […]

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How to prepare yourself in the last month before running a marathon

Don’t skip the warm up! You’ve heard it all before, warming up helps to prepare your body for exercise and enhance performance by increasing body temperature, heart rate, blood flow to the muscles and speed of nerve impulses. Be aware – Static stretching prior to running is not recommended as it may increase your risk […]

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Carrying baby car seats could injure new mums, experts warn

By Amy Gladwell BBC News Who saw the recent article about carrying car seats and how potentially they can cause problems for post natal mums? Yes I agree that they are heavy and awkward to carry  but please don’t let this article stop you from your daily activities of going out and about with your […]

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Breathing – Inhale/Exhale

Breathing is so important apart from keeping you alive! Did you know that: Your diaphragm is a big muscle that sits like a parachute in your chest. Your pelvic floor muscle and your diaphragm are closely connected, when you breathe in your diaphragm will move downwards and so should your pelvic floor muscle.  And then […]

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To Run or not to run??

By Lisa Few our Women’s Health Physio in the Claygate clinic. What an amazing course I went on this weekend, challenging our beliefs as women’s health physiotherapists as to when to return our post natal mums to higher level exercise such as running or cross fit training. There are no official guidelines, unfortunately as to […]

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The benefits of on-site physiotherapy for employers and employees

The well-being of your employees is just as important, if not more so, as their skills and ability to do the job they were hired to do. Organisations that take care of their employees are likely to have higher staff retention and a more committed team who are willing to grow with the company. This […]

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Hypermobility

What is it? Hypermobility is a term used to describe joints that have more movement than normal. This is also frequently referred to as being ‘double jointed’. Many people will have at least one joint that is hypermobile, however if a number of joints are affected this is referred to as Generalised Joint Hypermobility. Joint […]

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Trigger points

Trigger points can affect nearly everyone

Trigger points can affect nearly everyone at some point or another in our lifetime. Physiotherapists will often treat someone afflicted with a trigger point and one question will always come up; what exactly is a trigger point? A trigger point is a localized, tender spot within the muscle that feels like a nodule, commonly referred […]

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Low Impact Exercise

High-impact exercise is a great way to quickly raise your heart rate during exercise, help build muscle strength and aid to improve bone density. However, there are reasons when high-impact exercises like running, rugby and football just simply aren’t options. Times where you may have to avoid high-impact exercise include pregnancy, specific heart conditions, joint […]

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how to carry a backpack

Backpack and how to carry them correctly

Do you suffer from neck, shoulder or back pain and don’t know why? It could be the heavy backpack you’re carrying every day. Most commuters would know the struggle of fitting everything you need for the day into one bag. This includes gym clothes, laptops, books, wallets, phones, make-up etc. Many of us manage and many […]

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Achilles Pain

Pain in the Achilles region can come from different tissues and needs to be assessed correctly so that rehab can be specifically targeted. Achilles tendinopathy Usually associated with pin point pain. Does not change with length of time of pain. There is a load to pain relationship Aggravating factor are – acceleration, sprinting and change […]

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Keep Fit This Summer

Summertime can be a hard season to get to your exercise class or to the gym when school holidays and deadlines disrupt your routine. However, summer is never lacking in daytime and it can be easy to fit in some quick exercises at home, outdoors or when you’re on holidays to keep your body active […]

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Joint Popping

Is it normal for your joints to pop or crack? And what causes the noise? These are frequently asked questions and not too difficult to answer. Joints can pop for several reasons and most of the time it is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Occasionally it could mean that something might be a bit […]

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It’s Tennis Time!

Now that summer is here we can all look forward to more sun filled outdoor activities and exercise. With Wimbledon upon us many will be inspired get out on the court and play tennis, whether we are new to the game or a regular player. Although you can modify tennis to play a gentle rally […]

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Injury prevention for triathletes

Triathlons are increasingly popular and the mix of swimming, cycling and running is thought to reduce injury due to the variation in activities. However triathlon distances vary greatly and injuries can occur as a result of an individual leg of the event or from a combination of the three, the majority of injuries are overuse […]

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Football facts and tips

Football is one of the world’s most popular sports and still growing! According to the Nielsen survey conducted in 2017, 43 % of people were interested in football with more than 4 out of 10 people considering themselves football fans. Basketball is second with 36% interest. In the last Big Count survey done by FIFA […]

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Time to Get Cycling for Bike Week

Bike Week is all about encouraging cycling to be a part of our daily life. This can be commuting to work or the shops, a cycle with the kids after school, or even just as part of your day’s exercise. Bike Week promotes cycling as a form of transport and exercise for everyone, every day. […]

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Prehab for Knee Replacement

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition that leads to pain and stiffness through progressive wear and tear. Normally, knee replacements are performed as a result of severe OA which means that individuals have had to deal with pain and stiffness symptoms for many years before surgery is recommended. As a result, secondary problems like […]

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Hip Replacement Prehab

In England and Wales there are on average 160,000 knee and hip replacements annually (National Joint Registry 2017). This number is expected to grow as population numbers and life expectancy averages increase. A hip replacement is performed after years and years of progressive joint degeneration. This means that secondary problems like weakness, tightness and stiffness can develop […]

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Tips for Marathon Training and Injury Prevention

Soon it will be that time of year where thousands of people will pause before the starting line, ready to run the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon. Congratulations if you are one of them! Marathons are no easy feat and take a lot mental and physical preparation. So, if you are training for this […]

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Daily Mail article

7 million women suffer incontinence: Now, the UK’s top doctor has revealed her own ordeal to break the most embarrassing taboo of all 7 million UK women suffer urinary incontinence, including Dame Sally Davies The condition is ‘more embarrassing than depression or cancer,’ study says It’s also estimated to cost the National Health Service over […]

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The Benefits of Movement

Let’s take it down a notch from exercise to discuss the effects that just physical activity or movement has on the body. Movement does not only stimulate our muscles, but it influences our body’s mental health, ability to prevent diseases, metabolism and sleeping patterns. Inactivity leads to various health related issues and even a little […]

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Shoulder impingement

Have you heard this term before and wondered what exactly it is that your shoulder is pinching? The more important question is to ask is why it is it getting pinched. Shoulder impingement is when the muscles in you shoulder get trapped between bony parts of the joint which leads to pain and inflammation. This […]

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Are you keeping your heart healthy?

Sure, you have been eating healthily and exercising regularly but are you up to date on what else makes your heart healthy? Cardiovascular health is multifactorial meaning that diet, exercise, stress, weight, alcohol intake, diseases, smoking and genetics can have an impact on your heart. Learn about the warning signs and risk factors for a […]

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The Pillow problem

The Pillow Problem

One of the most frequent questions we get as physiotherapists is “what pillow should I use?” There are so many different types of pillows whether it be the brands, the shape, what the pillow is made of or how soft or firm it might be. We spend a third of our lives sleeping so finding […]

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Ladies! Pucker up your pelvic floor

Feeling Romantic? Physiotherapists who specialise in pelvic health problems are reminding women that pelvic floor muscles are vital for sexual pleasure. Most people associate pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) with reducing incontinence but may not know that research has shown that strengthening, toning and knowing how to relax the muscular floor of the pelvis has an […]

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Vaginal mesh review: Investigating the true scale of complications

Lisa Few, our physiotherapist with a special interest in woman’s health, recently attended a talk by Consultant Urogynaecologist Miss Elneil who is based at UCLH in London and is one of only 2 consultants in the UK who specialises in mesh implant removal. It was both really interesting and scary at the same time. Mesh […]

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The Importance of Activating Your Core Muscles

Activating your core muscles Contrary to widely held belief, having a strong core is not the same as having a six-pack. These are completely different muscles with different functions in the body. Lower back pain or injury to the abdominals may cause a delay or even absence in the contraction of the core muscles which […]

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Why should we warm up and cool down?

We have all been told at one point or another to warm up and cool down with exercise. It’s something that we all know we should do but don’t always follow. It is important to understand why we need to prepare our body for exercise and what benefits we see from cooling down afterwards. The […]

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How to avoid injury this ski season

Although some injuries are inevitable such as a collision or a fall, others may be prevented by improving your body’s strength and co-ordination as well as by improving your technique. Lower limb injuries are the most common followed by upper limb and spinal injuries. The risk of getting injured can be lowered by the right […]

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How to beat the exercise blues this winter

The days are shorter. The temperatures are colder. That’s right, it’s winter… again. This is the time when it can be easy to give in to the weather and lose our great exercise habits. It can be tough to find the will to get out from under the cozy covers in the morning or find […]

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